Individuals who suffer from rhinitis are all too familiar with its unpleasant symptoms. The common symptoms of rhinitis include stuffy nose, sneezing, runny nose, and post nasal drip. Sufferers of rhinitis often seek relief from over the counter treatments. However, when over the counter treatments fail, many rhinitis sufferers end up seeking further relief from their physician. Doctors currently have a limited number of options for providing relief to patients. For most individuals the current treatments are oral drugs and nasal sprays, see U.S. 2008/0194544A1, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Oral drugs take time to start working since they have to be broken down by the body, and then enter the blood stream before they can begin to work. Nasal sprays deliver the medicine in a more direct way than oral drugs, for the medicine is sprayed directly into the nasal passage. Although nasal sprays are sprayed into the nasal passage where the medicine ends up is random and relief of symptoms may not be consistent.
The direct application of medicine or a therapeutic compound to the affected tissue has been found to provide the best opportunity to reduce symptoms. It has also been found that the longer therapeutic compounds are maintained in the body, the better the results. Pharmaceutical compositions have been developed that allow for the uptake of therapeutic compounds across the mucosal surface. These compositions contain plasticizers, chitosan derivatives and therapeutic compounds for use in a gel that when applied to a mucosal surface can be absorbed by the body, see WO 2005/079749 incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Another means for direct application of a therapeutic compound that has been developed is a delivery device, see U.S. Pat. No. 7,361,168, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. The delivery device is loaded with a desired substance then implanted into the body. The delivery device then controls the rate that the substance is released into the body.
In severe cases of rhinitis it may be decided that sinus surgery is the best course of action. Sinus surgery is performed to remove excess tissue from the nasal cavities. The removal of excess tissue helps to relieve the symptoms experienced by rhinitis suffers.
A hydrogel containing chitosan has been developed to assist in the healing process. The gel may be placed on the area which has been resected, see U.S. 2010/0291055, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Gels have also been developed that are biodegradable, biocompatible or bioabsorbable allowing for easy absorption into the body and faster localized healing, see WO 2009/132226, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. The steroids that are currently available for the application within the nose are designed to be applied on the surface of the mucosal tissue and are not able to remain on the tissue for long periods of time. A method for applying a long lasting, effective therapeutic compound within the nose to relieve and prevent rhinitis symptoms is needed.
What is also needed is a method which combines pharmaceutical and surgical approaches for relieving the rhinitis symptoms and preventing further symptoms from arising for an extended period of time without the need of a systematic drug regimen. What is also needed is a method for implanting a long lasting, effective therapeutic compound in the nose which can be done in an office setting. What is also needed is a long lasting effective nasal implant with a therapeutic compound, which does not need to be removed.